33
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298 AC
Dorne - Water garden
Eragon Targaryen
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The day flew by quickly as I watch the sunset once more, Shiera wants to show me something she has been working on. She said she didn't want others to see so we are currently alone and she is crouching next to a pool of water.
"Some kind of new magic, I guess you dug something up from the Martells library and want to show it off." She glares at me but soon turns back to focusing on the water, she has been able to pick up almost every form of magic Melisandre taught. She didn't try to birth a shadow though so we don't know if she can but no one wanted her to as well.
Melisandre said shadows need light and fire to life so they serve R'hllor, which makes me question the whole competition with the 'Great other" who is death and darkness. But Shiera dabbled in everything else she could, I tried and couldn't figure most of it out.
Flames come easy to me so I was able to figure out igniting my sword pretty quickly.
The water ripples under Shieras hand and I can't help but smile seeing her look of concentration turn to joy. She starts to focus again and the ripples build up until some water breaks away from the pool and floats a few inches above the surface.
"You figured that out from just reading stories about people using it?" I am super impressed, her time in the library has been paying off.
"Yep." She takes deep breaths as the water falls back into the pool and she sits back on her butt with a tired sigh.
"You still need to train your body a bit more, strong body strong mind as Cynthia says." Though Cynthia was meaning for us to study warfare and watch others fight to improve ourselves. I am certain the advice works for magic as well since I can keep stuff burning longer than she can and it's probably got to do with my training and having a stronger body.
"Ugghhh, why do you always got to drag me down once I feel like I am doing something good." She crosses her arms and looks disappointed so I wrap an arm around her as I sit flat on the ground and stick my feet into the pool.
"You did an amazing job Shiera, the fact we don't hear about other water magic users is because they have forgotten their own history. You pulled it back from story and applied your skill and experience and can move water with a few words and gestures." I momentarily wonder if Rhaenys could use this magic herself since she has more blood of the Rhoynar in her. We have some blood of the Rhoynar from Mariah Martell who married into the Targaryens when Dorne united into the seven kingdoms.
But I don't want to ruin the moment by asking her that and also it's hers to share only if she wants to.
"Your right, I am pretty amazing to figure it out on my own." She sticks her own feet into the water and I roll my eyes at her previous displeasure being long gone and instantly replaced with her cheerfulness.
"Shiera is the smartest and can figure anything out with just a few hints! All the learned men around the world pale in comparison to her mind! They should just get out of the way and hand over their books so she can use them better than they can." She slowly kicks her feet without breaking the water's surface sending small waves out as she digs her elbow into my side.
"Shut up, I didn't call you here to praise me." I look over in confusion since that's exactly what I thought I was here to do. I tuck away a few compliments for later when she is in the mood. "I want your help in going to the green blood river and so you need to help me convince people to take us there." I purse my lips and nod as I lay back on the smooth pink marble ground.
"Ok, any specific reason like it has something to do with the water magic." I look at the back of her head and she nods at my question.
"Yea it works best in rivers and it's the biggest one nearby so I want to try it there." As far as I know, it's a shallow river that people live in rafts on and travel up and down it.
"Sure, I look forward to seeing you fall flat on your face after trying to move a river after seeing a small cup full of water knock you on your ass." She snorts and looks over her shoulder with her mismatched eyes that narrow as they focus on me. I see her left hand reach out over the water and I already know what she wants to do so I sit up and try to stop her.
"Stop this is a clean shirt and I don't want to have to change again." I reach around and grab ahold of her arm and shake her hand as if that will stop whatever witchcraft water magic is.
"Then just take it off." She speaks into my ear as I let go of her arm and look at her in surprise.
"That's unproper for a lady to ask a man she isn't married to." I speak in a scandalous tone as I lean back with wide eyes. An orb of water enough to fill a small pitcher floats up from the surface as she looks at me with 'fury'.
"Then I will just have to get rid of any witnesses and make sure no one can spread any rumors." The water moves deceptively fast and smashes into my chest knocking the wind from my lungs. "Oh shit, I am sorry!" She pats my back as I double over and try to take in air.
I take a big breath of air and lift my shirt to see a red mark forming in the center of my chest, thankfully it didn't hit lower on my stomach or it might have done some real damage.
"That magic is a no go on playing with." She nods hearing me speak but is busy massaging my chest. That could be useful to catch someone off guard with, I believe the stories of the turtle wars now and how an army of water mages lifted the River Rhoyne and blasted dragons from the sky now.
Some of the large hanging leaves from a skinny tree rustle and I look over and see Rhaenyra had pushed it out of the walkway and spotted us. Her brows raise seeing Shiera with a hand on my leg and the other molesting my chest while leaning into me.
"I see, so you did sneak off to-." I cup some water in my hand and throw it at her and she smiles while jumping to the side.
"Shut up Rhaenyra, she wounded me and I was only a few moments from death just a short while ago. Cant, you show some touch of pity for your uncle?" She shakes her head as she walks over and looks down at the mark.
"You will be fine, but I didn't know Shiera could punch so hard. What did you do to piss her off so much?" Shiera sits back up straight and goes back to kicking her feet in the water and ignores the question, is what it looks like but I see the water rippling. "Alright just ignore me I didn't care to begin with. I came to find you because we all noticed you disappeared and-." She stops talking when she sees a much smaller water ball floating in the air and it even wobbles from Shiera straining and falls apart as she slumps.
I support her so she doesn't slip into the water and Rhaenyra lets out a surprised gasp.
"She hit me with that by the way if you didn't catch on." I put my feet beneath me and lift Shiera to take her back to rest and she leans her head onto my battered chest making me grunt.
"I see, did it hurt?" I shake my head and Rhaenyra follows beside me as I carry the exhausted woman back.
"Winded me but I will be fine, she figured it out on her own isn't she a badass?" Shiera snorts listing in on us with her eyes closed and Rhaenyra catches on and joins in on the fun.
"She figured it out on her own? That is quite the feat, wonder how few of people could pull that off." Shiera isn't appreciating it as she turns her face and rubs her forehead into my sore spot.
I think about her newly acquired power and remember how a prince of the Rhoynar marched a massive army against the Valyrians and fought off three dragons with his water magic. The mighty Valyria couldn't take that sitting down so they came back with three hundred dragons and gave them fire and blood in return. What would it be like to see one of those battlefields, massive arms of water rising from the river to knock down dragons and enough dragons flying overhead to black out the sky with their wings?
Whatever it looked like I feel a touch of pity that those times are long gone and I won't get to see anything like it.
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"What's wrong with her?" Visenya asks as we make it back to the small gathering, no Daemon Sand in sight still. Haven't seen him all day and I am starting to think he was sent back before I could challenge him or something.
"She is fine, just tired from playing around all day." I set Shiera down on a cushioned seat and sit next to her. "Just give her a moment to rest her eyes and she will be back to her excitable self soon." She smacks my shoulder with a backhand which alleviates everyone's worries and the worried looks disappear.
"Good, how was your second day here?" Rhaenys asks as she pours a cup she hands me, seems we are drinking again.
"Fun, I like it here." I smile and take the cup, Danny who was also looking for us walks in and stomps over.
"I went to look for you." She sees Rhaenyra and Shiera on either side of me and takes the seat on Shieras side as she uses her hand to get Shieras hair out of her face. "What's wrong?" She kisses her forehead and Shiera just shakes her head and yawns.
"Tired." She will hear about the water magic later when she sees the bruise that is likely to form on my chest so there is no reason to explain it yet.
"Ok, can I have one?" She holds her hand out and I hand her the one I took a sip from while Rhaenys fills another.
"So we are going back tomorrow?" I ask and Visenya nods.
"Yea, we were going to stay longer but Doran received some news that he shared with Viserys and so Viserys sent for Rhae- Grandmother." I can't help but smile seeing her correct how she calls mom, mom won't let up with her affection for the grandkids she missed. Gets downright upset when they call her by her name instead of Grandma.
Shiera and Rhaenyra even started to tease mother because they never called her that and she got a hand across their behinds shortly after. Can't believe we are so close to a war with how things feel in our personal lives right now.
The only reason blades haven't been pulled out all the way is because of the three-way war that is silently happening. If Robert comes for us then the Blackfyres will make a move to kill us all when we weaken each other. Same for us attacking Robert, it is an awkward position to be in.
It buys me time though to make a risky play for some high-reward assets if everything works out in the end. I sip the Dornish red that Rhaenys gave me and lean back into the soft pillows, I will just enjoy this while it lasts.